A Convenient One-pot Synthesis of Chromenyl Acrylates and Acrylonitriles

Abstract

2H-Oxo-chromenyl acrylates and 2H-imino-chromenyl acrylonitriles have been prepared from a salicylaldehyde and ethyl cyanoacetate or 2-amino-1,1,3-tricyanopropene, respectively. The reaction occurs in the presence of 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) and the products were isolated in good to quantitative yields. Despite the simplicity of the synthesis, this is the first time that these substituted chromenes have been isolated.